1. Technical Field
The present disclosure generally relates to a torque apparatus, and, in particular, relates to a torque apparatus for gripping a guidewire to facilitate maneuvering of the guidewire during an intravascular procedure.
2. Description of Related Art
Guidewires are commonly used for a variety of intravascular procedures to guide a catheter to a desired location within the body. In order to position the guidewire at the desired location, a clinician manipulates the guidewire by advancing and torquing the guidewire. Torquing the guidewire changes the orientation of the guidewire tip allowing a clinician to navigate the guidewire through the tortuous vascular system.
Guidewires may have a hydrophilic coating to provide lubricity to permit the guidewire to pass more easily through a blood vessel. However, due to the lubricity, sufficient torque cannot be applied by simply rolling or twisting the proximal end of the guidewire by the clinician. Consequently, a torque apparatus is needed to grip the guidewire for adequate torque application. Torque apparatus are well known in the art, however the majority of such apparatus require a two-handed operation in order for the clinician to reposition the torque apparatus along the guidewire. Specifically, when the clinician needs to reposition the torque apparatus along the guidewire, the user grasps one end of the torque apparatus while actuating a mechanism to release the guidewire with the other hand. The torque apparatus is then moved along the guidewire to reposition the torque device along the guidewire. As a result of the two-handed operation required to release the guidewire and reposition the torque apparatus, another clinician is needed to hold the guidewire steady while the torque device is repositioned.